FIG. 1 shows an example of a traditional configuration for users to manage access to servers and storage via network devices such as a switch in a data center. In this example, clients 11A, 11B and 11C wish to gain access to services provided by respective groups of resources 14A, 14B and 14C in the data center. Each of the groups of resources 14A, 14B and 14C includes servers and storage. Thus, servers 16A and storage 18A are part of group 14A, servers 16B and storage 18B are part of group 14B, and servers 16C and storage 18C are part of group 14C. A separate network device 12A, 12B and 12C is associated with each group 14A, 14B and 14C and controls the flow of service requests and responses for the associated group. Each network device 12A, 12B and 12C is a separate self-contained physical device and facilitates a client's access to the resources in the respective group for a user. Each physical device also has an independent network management interface that provides a network management user 10A, 10B and 10C with a system view to manage the device. It should be noted that the term “user” appearing herein is used interchangeably with the term “network management user”.
This approach requires separate network devices 12A, 12B and 12C for each of the logical groups 14A, 14B and 14C. These network devices 12A, 12B and 12C can be quite costly and can present various configuration challenges, especially if they are distinct types of devices.
One possible solution to this problem is virtualization. Virtualization allows a single physical device to be logically partitioned so as to function as if it were multiple devices. Virtualization allows partitioning of a device's resources but also presents management challenges. One such management challenge is to present a management view that is akin to that used for managing an independent physical device. In other words, the challenge is to present to the network management user a management view so that the user experiences each virtual element as if it were a physical device and also present a non-virtualized system view for the administrator/owner of the physical device